best guess

Unless you're a particularly unscrupulous Italian player, predicting a result is haphazard at the
best of times, but it certainly helps if you've had experience playing at the very top level. Step
forward David 'Safe Hands' Seaman. The lovable lump, and 75-time capped England international, gave
us his best guess at what will transpire when [.

I'm going to make this quick, because it's too late to garner much attention anyway.

Tomorrow we face Everton at the Emirates. I feel like I could just copy this preview from any
game they've played over the past few seasons: They're a pretty good team, but they are struggling
to score goals because they don't really have a good striker.

Some thoughts ahead of the Galaxy's game against Sporting KC on Saturday.

* No Beckham: David Beckham did not travel for the match. This isn't a surprise today but it
was a surprise on Wednesday when we found out he wasn't at practice. I hadn't noticed him out there
and turns out that was because he didn't train.

Sounders win! Sounders win! Sure, it was in the Reserve League, but there are standings kept so
it counts. Most notable of course will be the Michael Tetteh goal late, at least to those browsing
the story, but more important to the future for real League play is who plays, and where.

Would anyone accept a season with a Heritage Cup and Reserve League title?

The injury report is piling up for the Sigi Schmid's Seattle Sounders FC. Where the Dynamo were
a dead ball team with a singular potent threat out wide, the San Jose Earthquakes are a more
complicated offensive team. The lineup adjustments are hard to guess, but with Seattle on a strong
streak right now our best guess for the lineup is no changes in the starting XI.

The injuries of the week force more of a guess on who will be starting for the Seattle Sounders
than typical. With Mauro Rosales certainly out and Adam Johansson a game-time decision there could
be two new starters. There is also the question as to which of Leo Gonzalez and Marc Burch will
start. For the Houston Dynamo they are missing Kofie Sarkodie for Olympic Qualifying, but two
players just returned from time with Jamaica causing questions at their left back and center
attacking mid.

The tableau interactive cards will make their return with the MLS season, but due to a little
bit of demand here is a return of the 2010 Match Day Quick Reference Card for tonight's game. As
always the lineups are a best guess. For the Seattle Sounders the biggest question is David Estrada
v Eddie Johnson.

Halfway through their preseason the Seattle Sounders shook up the old depth charts quite a bit.
It isn't just about the trade for Eddie Johnson (after which Sigi basically confirmed a return to
big/small forward pairing), but there are talents better than expected who are rocketing up in our
perception.

We know that some of the regular Seattle Sounders did not make the trip to Monterrey, Mexico for
tonight's CONCACAF Champions League match. Mauro Rosales, Fredy Montero, Kasey Keller and Jhon
Kennedy Hurtado all, apparently, headed back to Seattle to prepare for Saturday's game against the
Columbus Crew.

As long time readers of this blog know, the Rapids-Sounders matches always leave me in a bit of a
pickle, as I was born in Seattle and raised in the Seattle-area. Every year that goes by makes it a
bit easier though, especially since a couple of cousins have become die hard Sounders fans and
season ticket holders.

The Chicago Fire concluded Phase 2 of their preseason with split squad games today. A primarily
first team lineup fell to the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0 thanks to goals from Steven Lenhart and Brad
Ring. The second team defeated the Ventura County Fusion 2-1 on the backs of a penalty kick goal
from Orr Barouch and a Pari Pantazopoulos header Barouch assisted on.

I heard a peep about this yesterday but never got around to it. It turns out former U-20
national team forward Sammy Ochoa has signed a deal with Major League Soccer. He's fate will be up
to the MLS Allocation order.

The 24-year old recently played withÂ Estudiantes Tecos in Mexico is currently out of
contract.

I heard a peep about this yesterday but never got around to it. It turns out former U-20
national team forward Sammy Ochoa has signed a deal with Major League Soccer. He's fate will be up
to the MLS Allocation order.

The 24-year old recently played withÂ Estudiantes Tecos in Mexico is currently out of
contract.

There isn't a whole lot to report here yet. Eddie Johnson is back in Major League Soccer, the
league announced the signing today during a press conference to talk about the new amendment to the
Designated Player rule.

The once and future kings of Major League Soccer, Real Salt Lake, enter today's game with a
mortal 1-2-2 record over their last five games. The Chicago Fire's record of 1-0-4 over their last
five is 2 points better for what it's worth. Marco Pappa is available for selection in tonight's
game for the first time since May 28th when he started against the San Jose Earthquakes.

That's Jamie Smith dressed up as the Mad Hatter for Halloween yesterday.

Another quick turnaround as the Rapids face the end of their season tomorrow in Kansas City. Down 2
goals Colorado mus win by 2 to force overtime and PKs or 3 to win and move on. On top of the other
problems a storm is rolling into KC tomorrow night (probably the front edge of what's rolling into
Denver tonight) which could make the game sloppy.

The wettest fixture in the league happens tomorrow as the Whitecaps and Rapids face off in the
rainy Pacific Northwest. Its also the final game in what has been a somewhat soggy season for the
Rapids. Colorado has clinched a playoff spot though, and with a win they will clinch home field for
the wild-card round.

First home game in just over three weeks! Can you feel the excitement. The city is positively
buzzing with anticipation for tonight's big game against... the New England Revolution...
Seriously! It's actually a really big game tonight. Regardless of who the actual opponent is
there's a lot to be excited about for tonight's game.

Its been a rough week for the Rapids. The Mullan incident hung over the team all week, and they're
in the middle of a 3 game losing and scoreless streak. They try to right the ship tomorrow when the
Chicago Fire come to town. Game time tomorrow at the Dick is 7pm. Class VI and the Pid Army are
having a themed tailgate of Chicago dogs starting at 4pm in the regular spot.

Its that time of year again! The Rapids make their way West to play FaKe SaLt LaKe. I shouldn't
need to remind anyone that on top of this being a big regular season match the Rocky Mountain cup
is at stake! Unfortunately the "geniuses" at MLS League HQ decided this rivalry wasn't important
enough and scheduled the game for a Wednesday night.

Hey there Union fans. I normally do these at Sounder at Heart and offered to throw it up
there for your use. You can hover over or click on many of the data points and learn even more. The
lineups are the best guess of the SaH crew and Scott. Sorry about the time and station being for
Seattle fans, but you should know when/where to watch.

Tomorrow night, the Philadelphia Union will begin their participation in the 2011 edition of the
US Open Cup. The Union will have to win three games to earn a spot in the tournament proper, which
they would enter at the Round of 16 along with 7 other MLS clubs.

The Union's first game will be at the Maryland Soccerplex against DC United.

The Rest

Seeing your favorite team play in person for the first time is a special day for any child. But
when you spend the first half in terrible pain because your favorite team's star player
accidentally snapped your wrist like a twig with a pre-match cannon shot, it tends to put a damper
on the day.

With the 2012 season set to kick-off on Saturday, the staff of New England Soccer Today
and special guest Kevin Koczwara of The Soccer Guys took our best guess at how the New
England Revolution will fare in 2012.

Too much time has been devoted to transfer activity in this space. It's time we get on with the
business of matches. This weekend sees a rejuvenated Sunderland visit the Bridge for what promises
to be an interesting affair. More, after the jump:

Down, but not out

In our last PL encounter, we put the screws to Wolves on the road, before a ten minute finishing
salvo against Portsmouth in the FA Cup.